


Cherry Wine

by theaa



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: (sort of), Angst and Humor, F/M, Infidelity, M/M, Polyamory Negotiations, basically living in a small apartment means things get pushed into the open
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-31
Updated: 2015-01-19
Packaged: 2018-03-04 14:32:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3071654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theaa/pseuds/theaa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fresh out of Hogwarts, Lilly, James and Sirius find an apartment in muggle London. Things outside in the wizarding world are starting to fold in on themselves, as are the boundaries between everyone living in apartment 4D. Multiple relationships.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so this is my first Harry Potter fic posted on this site. It will be multiple chapters. It's un-betad, so please be kind! Enjoy!

Lily Evans shouldered the door to apartment 4D open, trying to keep the boxes she had under her arm, plus the one she was levitating with her wand balanced. Tripping over the threshold certainly didn't help. The box of books tucked into her arm tumbled to the floor, and the other had time to wobble dangerously in mid-air, threatening to rain down its contents of kitchen cutlery, before she set it hurriedly down on the kitchen counter.

She was still muttering curses under her breath as she set about stacking up the books back into the box when stifled laughter from one of the adjoining bedrooms made her look up sharply. She straightened up and set Most Potente Potions (hers) and The Ultimate Book of Wizarding Pranks (James'. A christmas present from Remus) down next to the cutlery and rolled her eyes.

'OI, boys! Shouldn't you be moving furniture? Or you could come out here and help your flatmate!'

The laughter abruptly stopped and Lily allowed herself a small smirk before the door to the bedroom was flung open with a bang, and Sirius strode out. He'd dressed in what Lily would call normal clothes for the moving day; a loose grey t-shirt that was really cut far too low, a pair of low slung jeans and his infamous black boots, laced just enough to give off the effortlessly cool vibe he worked so hard to uphold. His longish hair was swept away from his face, curling around his neck, and there was a smile playing across his face as he walked towards her.

"If you don't mind, Evans, Prongs and I are men, now. We feel we should be addressed as such."

Lily snorted. "And how exactly did you reach that conclusion?"

James appeared from behind Sirius, in a navy sweater he'd owned for years, the cuffs riddled with holes. His smile was softer than Sirius', but no less gleeful. "Because, Lily dearest, we own a house now."

"Apartment," Lily reminded them, her hands finding their usual resting place on her hips. "Not a house."

Sirius waved an well practiced dismissive hand. "Details, Evans, details….we are now men of a household."

"And since I pay a third of the rent, that makes me the woman of the household. So now what are you gonna do?" Lily couldn't help smiling as Sirius' smile wavered, but it was quickly mended and plastered back on his face. He opened his mouth to say something and Lily raised an eyebrow in challenge before he was cut off by James' elbow to his stomach, shunting him sideways.

"Give over Padfoot." James turned back to Lily. "So, anymore boxes?"

"No, that was the last of them. Now's the hard part."

The three of them turned to survey their new home, overflowing with packing cases and upside down furniture crammed against the walls. Still, Lily thought, at least they could just pull out the their wands. She remembered moving when she was little, the removal van, and the way the whole house was still full of boxes weeks after they've settled in. Unpacking with magic was such a novelty, and not for the first time Lily found herself a little amazed at just how convenient it was to be a witch.

"Right then," James said, rolling up the sleeves of his sweater and pulling his wand from his back pocket and pointing it at a random box. "Off we go." Before Lily could stop him, the contents of the box came shooting out of the cardboard flaps. The kitchen crockery hung in the air for a second before zooming over their heads to fly into the empty kitchen cupboards behind them. The teapot spout got tangled in Sirius' hair, and he swore, glowering at James before releasing it and sending it slamming into the last cupboard. Everything was of course completely unorganised and Lily would have to fix it later, but for now it would do. Besides, James looked pretty pleased with himself.

"Oi, lemme try." Sirius whipped out his own wand and gave it a lazy flick, and the rug on the other side of the room unrolled itself, but of course there was absolutely no room for it and instead it collapsed on top of the dining room table, sending a cloud of dust into the air. Sirius shrugged. "Hmm, not quite."

James tittered which made Sirius frown, and soon they were emptying boxes left right and centre, their wands swishing all over the place, desperate to outdo each other. Lily could only stand by as complete havoc started to reign within her household, the whole place being tipped upside down. They needed order, for goodness sake. When she had to duck when a lamp flew dangerously near her head, her resolve snapped and she summoned as much energy and magic into her wand as she could and then expelled it across the room. James and Sirius' wands flew from the hands, clattering to the floor, and in a swirl of magic the whole room righted itself. Sofas flew to where she wanted them, the rug took its rightful place on the floor, the coffee table shuffled into position, the photos straightened themselves on the walls, and Sirius and James watched with their mouths open, as with a few more gentle flicks of her wand, Lily had the whole thing sorted.

She slipped her wand back into her pocket with a satisfied and smile and dusted off her hands. "There."

Sirius huffed, swiped both the wands off the floor. James took his smiling and turned, pressing a kiss to Lily's cheek.

"I think I'm going to like living here a lot," he whispered.

xxxx

They needed to buy new bed covers, Lily thought, coasting her fingers along the crimson and gold sheets that currently decorated hers and James' bed. They were the same ones from James' teenage bedroom, and whilst Gryffindor pride was all very respectable and fun, they'd moved past Hogwarts now and Lily couldn't help feeling that her bed sheets should perhaps reflect that. Especially considering what occurred in them. This bought a flush to her cheek and she rolled over to watch the dark outline of James beside her, his chest rising and falling gently. Asleep.

There was an orange glow coming in though the window and the thin blind, cast by the muggle streetlamp outside their apartment. It made the unfamiliar room seem even more alien. Her legs kicked at the knot of material enclosing them. Summer was drawing to a close but there was a mugginess that still pervaded the air, making London humid and heavy. Faint noises of people leaving the bar down the street filtered through, too. Lily imagined the muggle women in their summery dresses, weather not yet cold enough to warrant a jacket, holding their heels in the hand as they stumbled home. And the men clambering into taxis, singing snatches of songs together in deep baritone voices all slightly out of key. It sounded like fun. Perhaps she should take everyone for a night out. James was always fascinated with muggle clubs and bars, but Sirius waved them off. He didn’t think muggle alcohol was strong enough. Still, he'd go if everyone else were going, she reasoned.

In his sleep James rolled over towards her and flung an arm out, hitting her square in the stomach and making her wince. It was evident James hadn't quite transitioned yet from his huge bed at home and having his dorm bed all to himself either. She pushed his arm off her and sighed. Clearly sleep was evading her. Extracting her feet from the sheets she slid out from under them, padded barefoot to the bedroom door. It squeaked as she opened it, but James didn't stir. It was sweet really, how peacefully he was able to sleep. Lily was envious of that.

A slim figure hunched over the kitchen table made her pause. Sirius sat with one hand curled round a coffee cup. The other was occupied with the cigarette that dangled from his fingers; smoke curling slowly into the apartment. His long hair was gathered in a loose bun at the nape of his neck and the dim light from outside reflected off his naked back. The image of him struck Lily so hard she stopped in the kitchen doorway, fingers trailing down the doorframe. Sirius was like something out of a painting, or a black and white photo in a modelling magazine. He'd always been handsome, she wasn't blind, but there was something else… maybe the candidness of the scene before here that took her breath away.

Just as she thought this Sirius seemed to sense her presence behind him and turned. His face dropped when he saw her and the hand holding his cigarette faltered on the way to his lips. He looked at her guiltily and made to stub it out on the ashtray.

"No, it's okay," she found herself saying. The cigarette was only a quarter smoked so it'd be a waste wouldn’t it? And she liked the way he cradled it between his fingers, the delicate way the smoke flowed from his mouth. Not that she'd tell him that. Her voice hardened. "Just this once, mind. Otherwise you can smoke outside."

Sirius smiled gratefully at her and pulled out the chair next to him, gesturing for her to sit down. Which she did. They sat in silence for a minute, something about the late hour and the stillness outside, she supposed. Sirius took another two drags.

"I didn't know you smoked."

"It's a new habit. Ever since you told me about it being a muggle thing I've been kind of… interested. I managed to get hold of a few packets."

She vaguely remembered telling Sirius about smoking at a party back in their last year of Hogwarts. She was drunk and when she got drunk she inevitably wanted to smoke. If she were home she'd sneak off the corner shop but of course no one at Hogwarts had a bloody clue what cigarettes even were (honestly purebloods) and she ended up ranting at Sirius in a corner until James took her to bed. Lily didn't think he'd actually been listening.

"Oh," she said uselessly. Sirius smirked at her before his smile fell again.

"They make me feel less…"

"Restless?" Lily supplied when his voice trailed off. He nodded.

"Exactly."

He extended his arm, offering the last of the cigarette wordlessly to her.

"No thank you. I gave up."

Sirius just arched an eyebrow at her until Lily heaved a sigh and hooked her fingers around the stub, lifting it to her mouth and taking a deep drag. Instantly the feeling of calmness washed over her and Sirius watched her, his eyes twinkling.

"Shut up," she muttered when she'd blown the smoke neatly from her mouth. He ignored her.

"So is that why you're up? Can't rest?"

"That and James is taking up the bed," she grumbled and Sirius let out a tiny bark of laughter.

"Old habits die hard, then. He used to do that with me when we shared a bed on sleepovers and such. Sometimes I'd transform just so I'd be comfortable on the floor."

Lily's nose wrinkled. "Yes, well I don't have the ability of turning into an animal when I’m in bed do I?"

"No I suppose you don't." Sirius winked at her, catching the unintentional double meaning in her words. Lily’s cheek flushed, but Sirius just laughed, an easy smile slipping across his high cheekbones and Lily let it go. The silence resumed. It wasn’t that they didn’t know what to say. It was just nice, Lily supposed, to not say much at all.

Sirius crushed the dying embers of the cigarette in the ashtray and sighed. "It's getting light," he noted. It was. The barest hint of pink was beginning to wash over the steadily paling sky. Lily dropped her gaze back to Sirius' face.

"Why can't you sleep, then?" she asked.

Sirius looked like he was going to brush the question off, pass it off with a laugh and joke like always, but then his face softened. "I just felt weird in that bedroom you know? It's not as if I want to be back home. God knows I don't, Grimmauld place is toxic and I wouldn't live there again if someone paid me a thousand galleons, but I don't feel like I belong here…. just yet," he admitted, tucking a piece of hair behind his ear that had escaped from the bun.

Lily nodded. "Keep on feeling like someone's going to tell you to go back home, huh?"

"Something like that."

Lily understood just what he meant. She thought of her home with Petunia and her parents, of Petunia's horrid fiancée and knew instinctively that she did not belong there. She was never really understood back in the little sleepy village. Tray as the might her parents were still confused and astounded by what their daughter was. But at least they supported her. She couldn't bear to imagine what Sirius had been through with his family… Still, this is where she belonged now, with James…. and Sirius.

The common understanding settled between them calmly and Lily let her head fall against his shoulder, red hair splaying across his bare chest.

It's such a nice moment, and of course Lily had to go and ruin it.

"Have you heard from Regulus recently?" she whispered softly, half into his chest and muffled by her own hair, but as soon as Sirius registers the name his muscles stiffen, and then she's been shrugged off him.

"Not tonight Lily," he answered curtly. "I don't wanna talk about him tonight."

When she got back to her own bedroom James had thankfully resumed his position on the right side of the bed. She slipped under the sheets silently and rolled over to gently trace a light hand down James' spine. Every notch was familiar to her, like reading a well-worn map. She closed her eyes, determined to sleep and start again tomorrow, where James could make her feel better again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello. Sorry this took so long - I've had university exams. This is still un-betad so apologies for any errors. This chapter switches from Lily's to Sirius' point of view. I've realised I'm going to have to switch it between the three of them a lot to achieve what I want to accomplish, so I hope you don't mind. Enjoy?

When Lily awoke the next morning the bed next to her was empty. Frowning, she grabbed her dressing gown from the back of the door and went in search of her boyfriend. Voices were coming from Sirius’ bedroom, and when she peeked round the doorframe Sirius and James were stood with their backs to her. Sirius had his wand out and was brandishing it at what looked like the curtains, whilst James was trying to stop the repetitive sweeping of his best friend’s wand arm. The scene might’ve been comical if it weren’t for the fact that she could hear what James was saying.

“Pads, mate, you need to just calm down okay? Just put your wand away, alright? Let me call Lily, let me—“

Sirius ignored him and jabbed his wand angrily at the curtains again and there was a ripping sound as he slashed the material from the rail. The deep green fabric pooled to the floor and Sirius’ arm dropped instantly. He turned towards James slightly, and Lily could see his face was screwed up and angry.

There was a beat of silence where Sirius’ face softened and he seemed to be looking at James for some sort of validation, or forgiveness for ripping the curtains, which was absurd – really what was going on here? – and James finally gave a low chuckle.

“Well that’s one way to deal with it, I suppose,” he said slinging his arm around Sirius’s shoulders. “Feel better?”

From behind Lily saw Sirius drop his head so it rested on James’, dark hair mixing together. They stood with their sides pressed up against each other, looking at the damage Sirius had caused.

“Not really. What am I gonna tell Lily?” Sirius answered, his voice trying at being funny, but falling short.

“It’s all right, I’ll deal with her.”

Lily took this as her cue and stepped out from behind the door.

“No you won’t. You can both tell me now.”

They swung around, arms still around each other. James looked uncomfortable, and Sirius looked, well… sad.

James’ mouth opened to say something, but Sirius got there first. “The curtains are green,” he said plainly. “It bothered me.”

Lily frowned. “So? You could have charmed the colour.”

“That’s what he was trying to do,” James answered, “but he got a bit carried away…”

Sirius was now looking beyond her to the door, his eyes darting from her face to behind her, like he was itching to leave the conversation. Lily’s eyes narrowed.

“There’s something you’re not telling me….”

James sighed and looked up at Sirius. “Padfoot, you better just tell her, she’ll know soon enough, it’s not like the Order will—“

“I know, but it’s just I don’t want to talk about it, I don’t—“

“I know you don’t, but it’s not gonna make it any less true.”

“No, I know it’s not but—“

“But what?”

“I guess…”

“So?”

“Okay.” Sirius finished flatly, looking back up at Lily. And just like that the brief little world he and her boyfriend had retreated into again, like they always did, was shattered. Sirius shrugged James’ arm off his shoulders and brushed past Lily.

“Maybe you should sit down.” James pushed her gently towards the kitchen, pressed a kiss to her forehead and then pulled out one of the bar stools, whilst Lily did the same. Sirius flicked his hair out his eyes.

“I got a letter this morning,” he began, his voice seemingly devoid of emotion. “It was from Moody, said the Order had pulled off a Death-Eater attack down in Southampton-“

“Southampton? Why were they down there?” Lily interrupted, but Sirius waved her question off.

“Dunno. Moody said the wankers were looking for someone and he didn’t say who. Anyway, so things get a little out of hand. Meadowes is in St Mungo’s right now, because she managed to unmask one of the death-eaters.” Here his face transformed into a disgusted sneer, anger filling his eyes. “And guess who she found? My brother,” he finished.

Lily let out a little gasp and James dropped his head, although he must’ve already been told.

“The smarmy git has only gone and done it, hasn’t he? Having all the wrong opinions, being a complete and utter wank-stain wasn’t enough for him—he’s gone and actually taken the dark mark.”

There was a pause where Lily grasped in vain for something to say. She couldn't of think of anything, nothing to help the dissapointment and hurt and fear Sirius must be feeling. She shot a look at James, who just shook his head.

“Sorry about the curtains. They were green and little too close to the Slytherin colour for Padfoot’s comfort after he read the letter,” James explained, mumbling slightly.

Sirius nodded and then shrugged, leaning back in his chair. His face was blank now, but Lily could see the hurt and anger swirling in his eyes. Her heart contracted a little at the sight.

“I’m sorry.”

“S’not your fault.”

“Sirius—“

“I just thought, hoped really, that he might grow out of it, realise my parents were wrong, you know?”

“He still could,” Lily tried, knowing this was lie, and Sirius barked out hollow laughter.

“I don’t think so. It’s not some pinky promise you can break without consequence. If he backs out now, Voldemort will kill him. You know that. Can’t think The Dark Lord handles rejection very well.”

“Sirius mate, don’t beat yourself up, he was a lost cause ages ago—“ James began, and Srius’ eyes flashed.

“Leave it James, I’ve told Lily. I don’t want to talk about it any more.”

He got up and strode towards his room, the door shutting with a firm click, leaving Lily and James to stare at each other, wide-eyed.

“I wish I could help him,” Lily said.

“He’s feeling guilty, he thinks if he spent more time at home or tried harder then Regulus wouldn’t be in this position.”

“That’s stupid.”

“I know, but it isn’t stopping him feeling like that - and he doesn’t want to admit to feeling guilty, because that might actually imply that he cares about a member of his family, when he’s tried so hard for so long _not_ to, so that they don’t bother him.”

“It’s so awful,” Lily breathed, glancing towards Sirius’ door, imagining the man inside. She wanted to reassure him, make him feel better somehow, but she had no idea how.

James nodded. He stood up abruptly and moved over to the cooker.

“Breakfast?” he asked, a forced sort of smile on his face, but his eyes looked warm at least.

“I think we missed that, love.”

“So?” James retorted, reaching into a cupboard to grab a whisk. “You can have pancakes at any time.”

Lily gave him a tired smile and stood up to help him. James gathered her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers in a hot open-mouthed kiss. It was slightly desperate, and Lily knew he was trying to forget the second hand pain he was feeling from his best friend.

Xxxx

At approximately 3pm there was a knock on his door. Sirius picked his head up off the pillow from where he’d been staring at the ceiling moodily for the past three hours, and frowned at the noise.

“Go away James.”

“It’s not—It’s me. Lily. James has gone out to get groceries. Can I come in?”

Sirius briefly considered saying no, but the other option of continuing to stare at the ceiling for another couple of hours put him off it.

“If you must,” he grunted.

Lily opened the door an inch and slipped through, her long red hair swept over one shoulder and her eyes full of concern and pity. As soon as she’d entered Sirius regretted his choice. However much he’d grown used to having Lily around, she was still a woman and women liked to talk about their feelings, have big long deep discussions, and Sirius preferred to stash his feelings away in nice little boxes and stuff them to the back of his mind, where he couldn’t hear his mother screaming at him; or see his brother’s conceited smile, or worry about the war enough to get scared, or….

He had a lot of boxes.

Lily perched gingerly on the end of his bed. “You haven’t eaten today,” she said quietly.

This made him smile. “I have. I slipped into the kitchen while you and James were otherwise engaged, so to speak.”

He winked at her and Lily blushed. There. At least this was normal. He could always bring that pretty pink tinge to Evans’ cheeks.

“Oh, I’m sorry, we shouldn’t’ve…”

Sirius raised his eyebrows. “Lily, it’s fine, honestly. I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to live with you two anyway.”

He could tell Lily desperately wanted to talk about what he’d told her earlier, but to her credit she skirted around it for a bit longer. Sirius took points off, however, for the other subject she chose.

“Have you heard from Marlene recently?” Lily asked softly. Despite her gentle tone, Sirius flinched.

“I had a letter a couple of weeks ago. She’s not—I mean, we haven’t changed our minds, Lils.”

Lily nodded sadly. “I guessed not. It’s just such a shame, you two were so good together, and—“

Sirius snorted. “Aww, come on Lils. We were horrible together. Let’s be honest, I couldn’t handle her at all. Marls always had a mind of her own. When you put two flirts like us together, well I’m surprised we didn’t blow up the whole school. The amount of arguing we did was not healthy. You saw how many times we broke up.”

“But you always got back together,” she pointed out.

Sirius’ half smile broke. “Yeah, well, not this time. I don’t think during the middle of a bloody war is the best time to start up a relationship.”

“James and I have.”

“That doesn’t count, though. You’re different than the rest of us. I swear to God, yours and Prong’s relationship is written in the stars or something.”

Lily tried to protest. “That’s not an excuse, Sirius. James and I argue all the time.”

“Yeah, about keeping each other safe, and making sure you’re both alright. Because you love each other. I don’t love Marlene,” he answered shortly.

“You don’t?”

“No I care for her a lot. I’d rather she didn’t be so reckless with herself out there, but I can’t control her. She doesn’t love me enough, and I don’t love her enough to make her listen. She does what she wants, whatever.”

Lily’s face crumpled and Sirius sighed. Here he was, taking about his feelings; just liked he’d feared. Perhaps it was just Lily that made him do this. He never got so emotional with Marlene. There was just something about the way Lily looked at you, so honest and open and clear, that made you exactly the same way.

“Look at you and James, he tells you all the time to take the less dangerous shifts,” he continued.

“I only listen half the time.”

“Yes, but you _do_ listen, sometimes.”

Lily shrugged, and then crawled up the bed so she was lying next to him.

“I’m sorry about Marls,” she whispered.

“That’s the second time today you’ve apologised for things that aren’t your fault, Lils. Don’t get cocky, you can’t control everything, you know.”

He meant it as a joke, but Lily’s face drained of colour.

“I hate it. I hate that I can’t control everything. I want everyone safe. I want everyone happy, and I can’t do it.”

Sirius smiled slightly, because Lily had always wanted to be in charge of everything. She wouldn’t have been Head Girl otherwise. Typical Lily, wanting to save everyone.Sirius couldn't imagine what having a heart that big would feel like. He opened his arm to her and she shuffled closer to his chest whilst he lifted a hand to play with the ends of her hair. “While James is away I’ll just have to be the one to give you a cuddle then, hey?”

“I should be the one hugging you after today”

“Well you are. We’re hugging each other. Mutual comfort.”

“Right,” Lily sniffed, laying her head down on Sirius’ chest.

His heart beat sped up a little. James really was a lucky man. Lily felt so soft and warm is his arms. He admired her strength in coming to talk to him, even if she hadn’t asked about the topic she’d wanted to. The girl had guts.

He dropped his head to press a kiss to her hairline at the same time she raised her chin to ask him something. Time seemed to crash to halt as their lips accidently brushed. And then Lily opened her mouth a little, catching his bottom lip between her teeth, and he was properly kissing her. Answering her attempt at comforting him. He supposed this was what she did with James to make him forget for a while, and here she was out of desperation, or _something_ , doing the same for him.

He should stop it. He should lean away and tell them both to stop. But he didn’t. His hand came up higher to anchor itself in her hair, bringing her lips nearer. Sirius had always appreciated Lily, how pretty she was. It was hard not to when James harped on and on about it for years at a time and he was forced to listen. But he’d never gone there, she was off limits, of course. When he’d got to know her better, he’d agreed with James even more. But they were friends, and he was fine with that, hadn't seriously considered any other option. He appreciated her, liked her, admired her, but nothing more.

Why weren’t they stopping?

Lily’s small hand cupped his jawline, stroked across his stubble and she moaned, just a little, a tiny sound, but it sent Sirius reeling. What was going on?

The sound of the front door being slammed shut broke them apart, and Lily scrambled to sit up at the end of the bed again, her eyes wide.

Trying to hide how she’d completely thrown him sideways, Sirius nodded at her. They wouldn’t tell James. It wouldn’t happen again. He wouldn’t have to know. This would be one more box to hide away.


End file.
